Drill pipe cleaning systems and methods

Abstract

A drill pipe cleaning system is configured for cleaning external surfaces of sections of a drill pipe to remove earth, drilling mud, and other solid and/or liquid compounds while a drill pipe is being handled in a wellbore or on a drilling rig. The drill pipe cleaning system includes a cleaning ring provided with a ring opening, for receiving the drill pipe, and a number of cleaning belts arranged to engage with and scrape the outer surface of the drill pipe.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drill pipe cleaning system, for cleaning of external surfaces of a drill pipe, comprising:
 a cleaning ring having a ring opening for receiving the drill pipe; and   one or more cleaning belts arranged within the cleaning ring so as to engage an outer surface of the drill pipe;   wherein each cleaning belt comprises a first end portion mounted to a first mounting structure and a second end portion mounted to a second mounting structure, each of the mounting structures moveably mounted to the cleaning ring,   wherein a decrease of a distance between the first mounting structure and the second mounting structure results in the cleaning belt being tightened around the drill pipe,   wherein the cleaning ring comprises a rotatably mounted toothed wheel and a motor having a gear that engages teeth of the toothed wheel.   
     
     
         2 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1  comprising two or more cleaning belts vertically displaced from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning ring comprises one or more liquid spraying nozzles arranged and configured to spray a liquid towards the drill pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 3 , wherein the liquid spraying nozzles are arranged along a liquid guiding, tubular ring-shaped member. 
     
     
         5 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning ring comprises one or more air spraying nozzles arranged and configured to spray air towards the drill pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 5 , wherein the air spraying nozzles are arranged along an air guiding, tubular ring-shaped member. 
     
     
         7 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , wherein a side wall forms an outer circumference of the cleaning ring, wherein the side wall is ring-shaped and comprises a plurality of openings providing radial access to the cleaning ring. 
     
     
         8 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning ring comprises a tensioning assembly arranged and configured to increase the tension of the one or more cleaning belts. 
     
     
         9 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein each of the cleaning belts comprises:   the first end portion, in which a first bushing is arranged;   the second end portion, in which a second bushing is arranged; and   a cleaning section extending between the first end portion and the second end portion.   
     
     
         10 . The drill pipe cleaning system to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first end portion has a first longitudinal axis and the first bushing extends perpendicular to first longitudinal axis; and   the second end portion has a second longitudinal axis and the second bushing extends perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         11 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first bushing extends perpendicularly only in a first direction from the first end portion; and   the second bushing extends perpendicularly only in a second direction from the second end portion.   
     
     
         12 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions. 
     
     
         13 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 9 , wherein the cleaning section comprises a single arced contact member that is configured to be brought into contact with the drill pipe. 
     
     
         14 . A cleaning belt for use in the drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , the cleaning belt comprising:
 the first end portion, in which a first bushing is arranged;   the second end portion, in which a second bushing is arranged; and   a cleaning section extending between the first end portion and the second end portion.   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning belt according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first end portion has a first longitudinal axis and the first bushing extends perpendicular to first longitudinal axis; and   the second end portion has a second longitudinal axis and the second bushing extends perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         16 . The cleaning belt according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first bushing extends perpendicularly only in a first direction from the first end portion; and   the second bushing extends perpendicularly only in a second direction from the second end portion.   
     
     
         17 . The cleaning belt according to  claim 16 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite directions. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning belt according to  claim 14 , wherein the cleaning section comprises an upper edge, a lower edge, and an arced contact member extending between the upper edge and the lower edge. 
     
     
         19 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting structure is maintained attached to a first fixed position of the cleaning belt and the second mounting structure is maintained attached to a second fixed position of the cleaning belt. 
     
     
         20 . The drill pipe cleaning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning belt has a rectangular cross section.